Having too much belly fat is more than an appearance problem. It can put you at risk for serious health conditions. Once you understand what causes your belly fat, you can start working on getting rid of it.
Visceral Fat
Most of the fat on your body is called subcutaneous fat. Though unflattering, this fat is generally harmless. However, having an excess of the visceral fat that surrounds your internal organs, which often goes along with belly fat, can put you at risk for several health conditions and diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
Causes
Belly fat can be caused by a variety of things -- from poor diet to a lack of exercise. However, for many it's genetics. If your parents had fat around their midsections, you're likely to as well. Likewise, aging has a lot to do with a buildup of belly fat. This is especially the case for women, because the production of estrogen slows during menopause and the stress hormone cortisol increases, leading to an accumulation of fat on the belly.
Dietary Modifications
To get rid of your belly fat, you'll likely need to make dietary changes. You need to decrease your overall caloric intake to ensure you burn calories when you exercise, but it's more important that you make healthy food choices. Stock up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein foods and toss out refined sugar and flour foods such as white bread, cakes, cookies and sodas. A balanced diet is much more conducive to weight loss than a drastic cutting of calories, which tends to make your body hold onto your fat rather than burn it.
Exercise
You must exercise regularly to get rid of your belly fat. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you need at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week to be healthy and even more if you want to lose weight in a reasonable amount of time. Practice exercises such as jogging, cycling or swimming to burn calories and get a weight loss of 1 lb. to 2 lbs. every week. There's no such thing as an exercise that only reduces belly fat. Consistent cardiovascular activity in particular will reduce fat in many areas of the body.
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